Posted by Dean Norman on April 02, 1999 at 03:01:54:
In Reply to: Being so well in tuned to the tuba posted by Fred on April 02, 1999 at 02:01:45:
Well, it's not such an incredibly miraculous thing. I can do that. Give me a tune and a key and consider it played. It's just a matter of 1)how naturally this sort of thing comes to you and 2)how much you've trained yourself to do this stuff. As a freshman in high school I could play most tunes off the top of my head, and it increased all through high school. Now, as a freshman in college, there are few things I couldn't write down as I hear them. I, personally, didn't have to work at it very much. It was all just fun for me. There are many people who are way better at it than I. Pianists generally impress the hell out of me. I can recognize fairly complex chord progressions, but some pianists I've met can recognize some of the most abstract stuff I've ever heard.
How do you get yourself to do this? Hmm...
Take a theory course. Learn what you're hearing. Know what is to be expected from music. 90% of the time there is a very nice and neat pattern that is being followed. Know the patterns and you'll be able to play the music. Be able to recognize what is being played. Listen. Listen. Are you sure you're hearing it right? Listen again. Could you write it down? Write it down, even if you're sure you could, and then see if you were right. Listen again. Listen some more. Finger it to yourself. It's easy. Just play the music. How hard is that?